Educational centre in Caerphilly refurbished under new ownership

An education centre in Caerphilly town has been refurbished by its new owners.

Kip McGrath, located on Castle Street, was taken over in the summer by former university professor Dr Niall Christopher.

It has provided extra educational support for school pupils from the age of five to 16 since it opened in 2011.

Students hard at work at Kip McGrath Educational Centre in Caerphilly

Dr Christopher said: “By focusing on younger age groups, you can really make a difference to a person’s life. A child struggling in primary school won’t go in the top sets when they go to high school, which means they can’t get the higher grades at GCSE, meaning they’re unlikely to undertake A-Levels or go to university.

“While it’s never too late to help, getting extra help as soon as possible can have life-transforming effects.”

Dr Christopher took over from former teachers June and Keith Anthony, who are retiring to spend more time with their grandchildren after teaching up to 700 students at the centre.

The refurbishment has seen the creation of new learning spaces. The centre now has seven teachers covering English and Maths.

Dr Christopher continued: “One of the nicest things about the centre is seeing students’ confidence grow. Oftentimes it’s the lack of self-belief rather than ability that holds children back.
“Our system works to build confidence to help children achieve their goals.”